Sushi buffet above Seoul Onchun sauna in Nowon: Kuu Kuu, LA galbi

Hi everyone~ this is Mandeul Gongbang.

You know those days when you ask "what should we eat today?" and one person says sushi, one says meat, one says pizza, and another says dessert. Trying to agree on one menu turns into a 30-minute meeting.

So this time, to skip the debate entirely, I headed to a Nowon spot great for family gatherings — Kuu Kuu Nowon Branch! I walked in expecting a sushi buffet, but there were way more menus than I imagined. Wait... is this really a sushi place? haha

Where is Kuu Kuu Nowon Branch and how do you get there?

Kuu Kuu Nowon Branch is on the 6th floor of the Seoul Onchun building at 247 Nowon-ro, Nowon-gu, Seoul. The building itself is huge, so even first-timers shouldn't have much trouble finding it.

From outside, you can spot the Seoul Onchun building like this.

Head inside and take the elevator up.

Destination: 6th floor! There's a Kuu Kuu sign right at the elevator, so no chance of wondering "is this the right place?" The doors open, and I step in...

Oh... the place is actually pretty spacious! The tables weren't cramped and there seemed to be quite a lot of seats.

The window side in particular felt open and airy. There were plenty of tables for larger groups too, so I could see why it's popular for family gatherings and work dinners in Nowon. Everyone can just grab what they want — that's the beauty of a buffet. Okay, time to check out the food!

What's at the sushi, roll and sashimi corners?

At Kuu Kuu Nowon Branch, the sushi and roll corner runs in a long line, with separate sections for made-to-order dishes, salads, hot food, and desserts. One lap around and the happy dilemma begins: "uh... where do I even start?" haha

I took a full loop first. The corners were divided in quite a variety of ways, so if you're looking for a sushi buffet in Nowon, your eyes get busy right from here.

Salmon, then roll after roll! I always walk into Kuu Kuu thinking "I'll focus on sushi today"... but it never really goes to plan. Because right next to it, there's always something else.

Ta-da! The sashimi corner I just couldn't walk past. Once I see salmon, I have to stop. Sushi's great, but you can also grab sashimi separately and mix it to taste. So if you're after a sushi buffet in Nowon that offers more than just sushi, this could be a good fit.

And the seafood corner! Shrimp, crab, and other seafood — I nearly grabbed another plate here. There's no rule saying "you can only bring one plate," right? haha

After eating meat and sushi for a while, you crave something refreshing, and there's a salad and side dish section for that. This kind of corner matters at a buffet — grabbing a vegetable eases a bit of that guilty conscience. haha

Pickles, kimchi, and other side dishes were also varied, good for cleansing the palate along the way. But don't think that's the end — now it's time for the meat lovers.

Smoked duck and LA galbi ribs: the meat lovers' round

The meat corner at Kuu Kuu Nowon Branch had smoked duck and LA-style galbi ribs on display. You come for sushi, but end up speeding up your chopsticks right here.

Ooh, smoked duck! Glossy smoked duck topped with chives — hard to just walk past that visual. I caught myself busily picking up duck meat when I'd come for sushi.

And this you just can't resist. LA-style galbi ribs! If you like sweet marinated meat, your chopsticks will speed up here too. I ended up grabbing some myself. Very naturally, of course. haha

There were also hot food items like sausages,

and kid-friendly options like fries and corn dogs. So this place isn't just good for adults hanging out — for families looking for somewhere to eat with kids, the menu range looked pretty wide too.

Pizza, shrimp dimsum and mala tang: hot food with no genre

Kuu Kuu Nowon Branch had a well-rounded mix across Korean, Chinese, and Western style dishes — pizza, shrimp dimsum, mala tang, soup, and more. I'd expected a sushi buffet to mean sushi plus a few sides, but the options were clearly much wider.

Pizza can't be skipped either! A few pieces of sushi, some meat, then a slice of pizza. At this point, there's no genre. If it tastes good, it's on the team.

There was also warm shrimp dimsum,

and even mala tang (spicy numbing hot pot)? When picking a work dinner spot in Nowon for a group, someone can't eat sashimi and someone else loves meat — but places like this mean no fighting over the menu. haha

Two kinds of soup too! Dip in a piece of garlic bread and it pairs surprisingly well. And if you thought eating that much food was the end... not even close. There's a separate stomach for dessert, right? Time to move to the dessert zone!

Dessert zone at Kuu Kuu: cake, fruit, marble ice cream and the chocolate fountain

The dessert zone at Kuu Kuu Nowon Branch had cake, small desserts, fruit, ice cream, marble ice cream, and even a chocolate fountain. Even discovering this while already full, you end up eating it anyway.

Cakes and small desserts lined up,

and a variety of fruit too, great for a refreshing finish. I was already pretty full at this point... then I spotted ice cream. Well, then I have to eat it. Whoever discovers it has to take responsibility^^

There were so many flavors that picking just one wasn't easy. But this really wasn't the end.

There's even marble ice cream! Wow, kids would never walk past this.

Milk chocolate, strawberry sherbet, banana split, rainbow — lots of options were laid out. The moment I saw it, I suddenly felt like I was back at an amusement park as a kid. haha

And a chocolate fountain too! Watching the chocolate keep flowing makes you briefly forget how full you are. Is this even food, or just a show?

At the end, you can also have a warm herbal tea. Peppermint, pomegranate, green tea, strawberry, rosemary, and more — the variety was quite wide, great for wrapping things up cleanly after eating so much.

There's a separate draft beer tap, too

Kuu Kuu Nowon Branch has separate signage about draft beer, plus a dedicated beer tap set up in-store. Great for work dinners or bigger groups.

And this caught my eye! Draft beer fans, take note.

The beer tap is set up separately like this, which should be appreciated by anyone visiting for a work dinner or a big group.

※ Please double-check drink prices and usage conditions with the store when you visit!

So what actually ended up on my plate?

Ta-da! I'd started out thinking "I need to eat a lot of sushi"... but looking at my plate — ribs, duck, pizza, fried food... where did the sushi go? I guess that just shows how varied the menu was beyond sushi~ Grabbing a little of everything to taste is half the fun of a buffet, right!

Is Kuu Kuu Nowon Branch good for family gatherings and work dinners?

For anyone looking for a place to eat with a group in Nowon, Kuu Kuu Nowon Branch felt less like a restaurant focused on one menu and more like a place that satisfies everyone's different tastes at once.

• Sushi lovers get sushi
• Sashimi lovers get sashimi
• Meat lovers get galbi and smoked duck
• Kids get pizza, fried food, and ice cream
• Dessert wraps it all up in one place

So if you're looking for a family gathering spot or a group dinner venue in Nowon, this seemed like a solid option. Especially if you're searching for a sushi buffet in Nowon but sushi alone feels like not quite enough, the sheer variety here should be plenty of fun to explore.

Like me, you might walk in thinking "I'll keep it moderate today," and end up reasoning by the end that "dessert doesn't count as food, so it's fine." It was a visit to Kuu Kuu Nowon Branch full of the fun of picking a little of everything!